Re: Darwinian and non-Darwinian (was Re: RFEP & ID)

From: Steve Petermann (steve@spetermann.org)
Date: Fri Sep 26 2003 - 13:26:36 EDT

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    Anyone have some suggestions for short hand terminology of evolutionary
    positions?

    How about:

    "Non-telic gradualists" for those who reject both punctuated equilibrium and
    intelligent design.
    "Non-telic non-gradualists" Gouldians.
    "Weak Telic gradualists" for cosmic front-loaded teleology, perhaps Howard's
    position.
    "Strong Telic gradualists" who opt for embedded(quantum based?) continuous
    intelligent design but no heavy handed supernaturalism.
    "Strong Telic supernaturalists"
    "Non-evolutionists"

    Steve Petermann

    ----- Original Message -----
    From: <james.behnke@asbury.edu>
    To: <rjschn39@bellsouth.net>; <james.behnke@asbury.edu>;
    <asa@lists.calvin.edu>
    Sent: Friday, September 26, 2003 11:47 AM
    Subject: RE: Darwinian and non-Darwinian (was Re: RFEP & ID)

    > You are correct. I almost included that in my original post. There was a
    > bit of name-calling about who was a believer in "Darwinism." Those who
    > emphasized the non-gradualistic mechanisms were harassed about their
    > beliefs, and they responded that they really did believe in "Darwinism"
    > because of they saw a role for selection in their scenarios.
    >
    > Because of these messy definitions, it is important to examine what a
    person
    > means in using the word "Darwinism." Does "Defeating Darwinism" mean that
    > you defeat "evolution?" Of course not, but people who are trained in
    > twisting meanings take advantage of this confusion.
    >
    > Jim Behnke james.behnke@asbury.edu
    > Asbury College
    > Wilmore, KY 40390 859-858-3511 x 2232
    >
    >
    > -----Original Message-----
    > From: Robert Schneider [mailto:rjschn39@bellsouth.net]
    > Sent: Friday, September 26, 2003 11:55 AM
    > To: james.behnke@asbury.edu; asa@lists.calvin.edu
    > Subject: Darwinian and non-Darwinian (was Re: RFEP & ID)
    >
    > Jim writes:
    >
    > > Generally, when we describe someone as a "Darwinian," we are saying that
    > > they believe that gradualism and selection are the important features in
    > an
    > > evolutionary process. It seems that ecologists tend to be hard-core
    > > Darwinian.
    > >
    > > Non-Darwinian biologists view drift, founder effects, macromutations
    > (those
    > > with multiple effects) and similar processes as the important mechanisms
    > in
    > > an evolutionary pathway. S.J. Gould popularized this in the punctuated
    > > equilibrium model.
    > >
    > > Jim Behnke james.behnke@asbury.edu
    > > Asbury College
    > > Wilmore, KY 40390 859-858-3511 x 2232
    > >
    >
    > Thanks, Jim. I'm grateful for this statement. But a query. Do not such
    > phenomena as gene flow, genetic drift, founder effect, etc., still depend
    in
    > some way on selection, as in the establishment of a new population in a
    new
    > environment (e.g., migration to an island), even though the rate of
    > evolutionary change may be much more than gradual? Help me out in
    > understanding and clarifying this point.
    >
    > Thanks,
    > Bob Schneider
    > (Berea College ex-patriate now in Boone, NC)
    >



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